absurdity
gb/əbsˈɚdəti/ us/əbsˈɚdəti/
B2
English
~ 7600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
property
1
the quality of being ridiculous
The quality of being very silly, not reasonable, or hard to believe or accept.
Usage pattern:
the absurdity of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use ‘absurd’ instead of ‘absurdity’ when they need a noun. Use ‘absurdity’ for the thing or quality (e.g. ‘the absurdity of the rule’), and ‘absurd’ as an adjective (e.g. ‘the rule is absurd’). Another common mistake is using it only for funny situations; it can also express anger or criticism about something unreasonable.
Synonyms
ridiculousness (Focuses on how laughable or silly something is, often with a lighter tone.)
|
nonsense (More general; can mean something that has no meaning or sense at all, not only that it is unreasonable.)
|
preposterousness (More formal; emphasizes how completely opposite to reason or common sense something is.)
Antonyms
reasonableness (Highlights that something is sensible and based on good reasons, the opposite of being absurd.)
|
logic (Stresses clear, rational thinking, which is missing when there is absurdity.)
Collocations
the absurdity of [something]
|sheer absurdity
|recognize the absurdity
|highlight the absurdity
|see the absurdity
|the height of absurdity
Themes
thinking
|communication
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Everyone laughed at the sheer absurdity of the proposal.
- The absurdity of the law became clear when a child was fined for selling lemonade.
- She pointed out the absurdity of working overtime without being paid.
- Critics noted the absurdity of spending millions on a project no one wanted.
- He finally realized the absurdity of arguing about something so trivial.
Learner examples
- We all saw the absurdity of his plan.
- The absurdity of the story made us laugh.
- She talked about the absurdity of paying so much for simple food.
- He could not accept the absurdity of the new rule.
- They discussed the absurdity of the situation for hours.
Noun
B2
entity
2
a ridiculous thing or idea
A single thing, idea, or situation that is very silly or not reasonable.
Usage pattern:
[an] absurdity such as [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes treat this sense as uncountable and say *‘there are many absurdity’* instead of ‘many absurdities.’ When you talk about several separate ridiculous things, use the plural ‘absurdities.’ Use the uncountable sense for the general quality (e.g. ‘the absurdity of the law’).
Synonyms
ridiculous thing (More informal and descriptive; clearly signals that the speaker finds the thing laughably silly.)
|
folly (Often suggests a foolish action or decision, sometimes with serious consequences, not only something laughable.)
|
nonsense (Can refer to speech or ideas that make no sense at all, not just something unreasonable.)
Antonyms
sensible idea (Stresses that the idea is practical and reasonable, the opposite of an absurdity.)
|
necessity (Highlights that something is essential or must be done, rather than being a pointless absurdity.)
Collocations
various absurdities
|everyday absurdities
|social absurdities
|political absurdities
|modern absurdities
|comic absurdities
Themes
daily life
|society
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- Calling that small disagreement a ‘war’ is an absurdity.
- The film is full of charming little absurdities that keep the audience smiling.
- He listed the absurdities of modern office life, from pointless meetings to endless emails.
- Many people see paying to reserve a sunbed as a complete absurdity.
- The book exposes the absurdities of the tax system in great detail.
Learner examples
- The new rule is an absurdity.
- To me, this dress code is an absurdity.
- He laughed at the absurdities in the comedy show.
- I cannot believe this absurdity is real.
- They complained about the many absurdities in the contract.
Noun
formal
C1
state
3
the meaninglessness of human life
The idea or feeling that life has no clear meaning or purpose and does not fully make sense.
Usage pattern:
the absurdity of life/existence
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this philosophical sense with simple ‘silliness’ or ‘funny nonsense.’ In phrases like ‘the absurdity of existence’ or ‘the absurdity of life,’ the word usually refers to a deep feeling that life does not fully make sense, not to something comical.
Synonyms
meaninglessness (Directly emphasizes the lack of meaning, often used in philosophical or emotional discussions.)
|
pointlessness (Stresses the lack of purpose or goal, sometimes with a more everyday or practical tone.)
|
the absurd (A related philosophical term that refers more broadly to the conflict between humans’ search for meaning and an indifferent universe.)
Antonyms
meaningfulness (Expresses that life or an action has real meaning, the opposite of existential absurdity.)
|
purpose (Focuses on a clear goal or reason for living or acting, which absurdity calls into question.)
Collocations
the absurdity of life
|the absurdity of existence
|confront the absurdity
|existential absurdity
|the absurdity of the human condition
|feel the absurdity of [something]
Themes
philosophy
|emotions
|literature
|education
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- Staring at the night sky, he suddenly felt the absurdity of human existence.
- The novel explores the absurdity of life in a world without clear moral rules.
- Many existentialist writers confront the absurdity of existence rather than trying to explain it away.
- In her essay, she describes how humor helps her live with the absurdity of the human condition.
- The film places its characters in situations that highlight the absurdity and emptiness of modern life.
Learner examples
- The book talks about the absurdity of life.
- He thinks about the absurdity of existence late at night.
- Some people feel the absurdity of life when bad things happen for no reason.
- The movie shows the absurdity of the modern world.
- The writer faces the absurdity of life instead of hiding from it.
Grammar
Dictionary form
absurdity
IPA
GB/əbsˈɚdəti/
US/əbsˈɚdəti/
Syllables & stress
ab - surdity (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (surdity)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: absurdity
- Plural: absurdities, absurdity
Word family
Forms
absurdities
noun
Core family
absurd
adjective B2
absurdly
adverb
Advanced or less common
absurdism
noun
absurdist
noun
Expressions
reduce to absurdity
1/ɹɪdˈus tə əbsˈɚdəti/
fixed phrase
formal
show something is false by absurd result
To prove that an idea is not true by showing that, if it were true, it would lead to a very silly or impossible result.
Examples
- The philosopher reduces his opponent’s position to absurdity by showing it would justify obvious injustices.
- In her essay, she reduces the argument to absurdity, making its weaknesses clear to the reader.
the height of absurdity
1/ðə hˈaɪt əv əbsˈɚdəti/
idiom
the greatest possible absurdity
Used to say that something is the most absurd, silly, or unreasonable thing you can imagine.
Examples
- Making people pay to use their own driveway would be the height of absurdity.
- It is the height of absurdity to blame children for decisions made by adults.